Peg and hole game apparatus



1955 H. H. JENKINS PEG AND HOLE GAME APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1954 IN VENTOR:

55 1 2. BY HHJENKINS,

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent i PEG- AND; HOLE APPARATUS Homer Jenkins,-La rescenta,. Calif.

j Application June 1, issqtsenarno. 433,375 g i 8 Claims. ((31. 2735-134This invention relates to games played on a board with playing elementsmovable on the board according to rules laid down in such games.

It is the general object of thepresent invention to provide a game inwhich movements. of the playing elements are restricted by the peculiardesign of the board. More particularly it is the object to provide aboard marked with lines in a certain novel, irregular fashion and havingin a number of places at line intersections sockets for receiving theplaying elements when the latter are moved along the lines in accordancewith the rules of the game.

These and other objects of the invention as well as the many novel andhighly entertaining features thereof will be readily appreciated uponperusal of the following description and by referring to theaccompanying drawing in which a preferred form of the invention isillustrated. i i

Fig. l is a plan view of a board disclosing. the peculiar markings andsocket arrangements of the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a similar board with the playing elements in such positionsthereon as they would occupy in the course of playing the game inaccordance with the rules thereof; and

Fig. 3 is. a side elevational view of one of the playing elements. i

The board. 1 may be of any desired shape and of suflicient size toprovide space thereon" for the configuration of the elements combiningwith the board to form the device of the invention. I

At first glance, this configuration appears. rectangular and arrangedWithin a circular border 2 intersecting the corners of the rectangulardesign. Lines or grooves 3', 4 are longitudinally placed on the board tobridge the spaces between the upper and" lower corners of the design anduniformly spaced indentations 5, 6 are made in these lines to providesockets for receiving therein the playing elements 7 of the game.

The lines transversely spanningthe distance between the left and rightcorners are provided with similar equidistantly spaced indentations 8,9, but it is important to note that a portion ot'v each, of these linesand one of the indentations therein are broken away leaving a blankspace in each line; also that the blank space 10 is between the secondand third indentations whereas the space 11 of the other line is betweenthe third and fourth indentation, reading from the left of the drawing.

Similar lines, or grooves '15 16 bridge the spaces lengthwise betweenthesecond and' fourth indentations and similar sockets 19, 20 areindentedin these lines in transverse alinement with the sockets of lines 3, 4,leaving wide gaps between the lines 15, 16. This is an important featureof the invention.

Between the lower left and upper right corners extends a diagonal lineor groove 22- and similar lines 23, 24 extend diagonally across thedesign from the upper and lower sockets 25, 26 in parallelrelation tothe central diagonal line 22. It is important to note that there is 2 7no diagonal line between the other two corners-of the configuration butthat similar lines or grooves 29, 30 extend diagonally from the sockets32,. 33 to the upper left. sockets 34;, 35. This irregular arrangementof diagonal' lines also forms an important feature of' the inventionleading to startling, unexpected results in the playing. of the game aswill be further discussed present y.

For the purpose of adding to the entertainment of the game, it. is alsofound advantageous to sink a line between the sockets 38, 39- and asimilar line 40 between the sockets 41, 42. Similar lines 45,, 46 areplaced between the sockets 47, 48 and 49,- 50, respectively.

Two persons play the game, each of whom is given five playing elements7. These elements, which for the sake of simplicity may be termed pegs,are differently colored to distinguish. the pegs of one person from:those of theother person. They are at the beginning of thegameplaced'ji'n. sockets at the top and bottom of the board", asindicated in phantom outline in Fig, 1, inf-ront of the two players.

It is the object of" the game to move the pegs from socket to socket toseat four pegs in four successively straightly alined' sockets,.starting the game from their initial positions at the top and bottom ofthe, board; As. in checker, each player has one move at a time and hemay move hisipeg along any line extendingfrom the socket holding hispe'gto the next following, socketin any direction forward, backward anddiagonally, or even along the circular line 2, until one of the playerssucceeds in? p'l'acihg" four of his pegs in four adjacentstraightl'yalined sockets. That wins the game. It is now seen, or' byactual participation in the game it is quickly discerned that thepeculiar, irregular ariangements of lines and sockets. afiordsfiexibility'of movements at so many pivotal points that it enableseither player toforestall hisopponents next move and so't'o' prevent himfrom accomplishing his objective in the earlier stages" of the game. Andit. will furthermore be foundthat such stalling, moves gradually throwthe g'ame' into such a state of complexity that neither piayer" Willhavethe oppormnit'y' for carefully planned moves, as in checkers or chess.So many avenues of retreat or attack will develop as the gamea'dyances'that the" fl'nal' issue will depend upon quick thinking andsuperior tactical skill of one of the players.

Another advantage of the invent-ion is that the game cannot end ina'dr'aw or'stal'emate and that neither player can: force awin:byvirtueof having moved "first. This is due: to. the fact that: theboard is so designed that the winning" move; namely four pegs in. four.successive,

straightly alined-socketncan' oniy'be obtained on vertical or diagonallines, there being no continuous transverse lines. Also that, because,of the interruptions of the transverse lines many pivotal points ofgreat strategic importance are createdin the middle. portionof theboard. Thecircular line 2 is also of importance since it enables aplayer to move his peg from one corner to thenext in either directionand so in many cases entirely to upset and to change the course ofthe-game. I

It isseen fromthe foregoing description that I have provided a verysimple and inexpensive device with which so many new unforeseen andstartling opportunities for entertainment are madepossible that it marksa distinct, important; forward step in the art. But while I havehereindescribedv and illustrated a preferred form of the inventionnit isto beunde'rstood: that modifications, within t-hescope of therclaimshereto appended, may be embodied thereiniwithoutdeparting fromthe spiritof the invention. It, may; for example where a more complicated game isdesired, be found advantageous to extend the board arrangementvertically or transversely to add additional lines and sockets similarlyuniformly spaced apart within a larger circle. Or, it may be foundadvantageous to provide additional sockets, such as shown at 55, in Fig.2, at any point, or points along the circular line 2.

I claim:

1. A game comprising a board having thereon a rectangular configuration,the parts thereof including lines lengthwise thereof in parallelrelation to each other, parallel transverse lines at the top and bottomof the configuration, the transverse lines being cut to provide blankspaces intermediate the ends thereof, the lengthwise and transverselines intersecting each other at many points, diagonal lines extendingacross the rectangular configuration and passing through intersectionsof said lengthwise and transverse lines, the diagonal lines extending inone direction differing in number and location from those extending inthe opposite direction, all the intersections being recessed to formsockets in the board, and pegs seatable in said sockets.

2. A game comprising a board having thereon a rectangular configuration,the parts thereof including lines lengthwise thereof in parallelrelation to each other, parallel transverse lines being cut to provideblank spaces intermediate the ends thereof, the lengthwise andtransverse lines intersecting each other at many points, diagonal linesextending across the rectangular configuration and passing throughintersections of said lengthwise and transverse lines, the diagonallines extending in one direction differing in number and location fromthose extending in the opposite direction, a circular line intersectingthe four corners of the configuration, all the intersections beingrecessed to form sockets in the board, and pegs seatable in saidsockets.

3. A game comprising a board having thereon a rectangular configuration,the parts thereof including a pair of uniformly spaced lines lengthwisethereof at the sides of the rectangular configuration in parallelrelation to each other, parallel transverse lines at the top and bottomof the configuration, the transverse lines being cut to provide blankspaces intermediate the ends thereof, the lengthwise and transverselines intersecting each other at many points, diagonal lines extendingacross the rectangular configuration and passing through intersectionsof said lengthwise and transverse lines, the diagonal lines extending inone direction differing in number and location from those extending inthe opposite direction, a circular line intersecting the four corners ofthe configuration, all the intersections being recessed to form socketsin the board, and pegs seatable in said sockets.

4. A game comprising a board having thereon a rectangular configuration,the parts thereof including lines lengthwise thereof in parallelrelation to each other, parallel transverse lines at the top and bottomof the configuration, the transverse lines being cut to provide blankspaces intermediate the ends thereof, the lengthwise and transverselines intersecting each other at many points, diagonal lines extendingacross the rectangular configuration and passing through intersectionsof said lengthwise and transverse lines, the diagonal lines extending inone direction differing in number and location from those extending inthe opposite direction, each of these lines being divided in portions ofuniform length, all intersections occurring between the portions of thelines, all the lines being recessed between the portions thereof to formsockets in the board, and pegs seatable in said sockets.

5. A game comprising a board having thereon a rectangular configuration,the parts thereof including lines lengthwise thereof in parallelrelation to each other, parallel transverse lines at the top and bottomof the configuration, the transverse lines being cut to provide blankspaces intermediate the ends thereof, the lengthwise and transverselines intersecting each other at many points, diagonal lines extendingacross the rectangular configuration and passing through intersectionsof said lengthwise and transverse lines, the diagonal lines extending inone direction differing in number and location from those extending inthe opposite direction, each of these lengthwise parallel lines beingdivided in five portions of uniform lengths, all intersections occurringbetween the portions of the lines, all the lines being recessed betweenthe portions thereof to form sockets in the board, there being in theupper transverse line two sockets at the left and three at the right ofthe blank space thereof, there being in the lower transverse line threesockets at the left and two sockets at the right of the blank spacethereof, and pegs seatable in said sockets.

6. A game comprising a board having thereon a rectangular configuration,the parts thereof including lines lengthwise thereof in parallelrelation to each other, parallel transverse lines at the top and bottomof the configuration, the transverse lines being cut to provide blankspaces intermediate the ends thereof, the lengthwise and transverselines intersecting each other at many points, diagonal lines extendingacross the rectangular configuration and passing through intersectionsof said lengthwise and transverse lines, the diagonal lines extending inone direction differing in number and location from those extending inthe opposite direction, a circular line intersecting the four corners ofthe configuration, any of the lines extending to the circular line, allthe intersections being recessed to form sockets in the board, and pegsseatable in said sockets.

7. A game comprising a board having thereon a rectangular configuration,the parts thereof including lines lengthwise thereof in parallelrelation to each other, parallel transverse lines at the top and bottomof the configuration, the transverse lines being cut to provide blankspaces intermediate the ends thereof, the lengthwise and transverselines intersecting each other at many points, diagonal lines extendingacross the rectangular configuration and passing through intersectionsof said lengthwise and transverse lines, the diagonal lines extending inone direction differing in number and location from those extending inthe opposite direction, two centrally located vertically directed linesconnecting the intersections of said diagonal lines, all theintersections being recessed to form sockets in the board, and pegsseatable in said sockets.

8. A game comprising a board having thereon a rectangular configurationcontained Within and intersecting a circular line at the four cornersofsaid configuration, the parts thereof including six uniformly spacedlines lengthwise thereof, four of which span the two ends, and twoshorter and centrally located lines being intermediate the two ends butbeing differently located in relation to the five ends, diagonal linesof various lengths extending through the configuration and two diagonallines of equal lengths in the opposite direction, six uniformly spacedlaterals extending from each side, none of which connects with itsopposite, all of the lines in said rectangular configuration crossing ormeeting each other thereby forming geometrical figures or shapes ofdifferent size and location, all being recessed to form sockets at theircorners, and all being in balanced relation with respect to the oppositeends of the configuration.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS462,170 Smith Oct. 27, 1891 484,882 Rickert Oct. 25, 1892 818,582 ThomasApr. 24, 1906 2,569,637 Loe Oct. 2, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 5,015 GreatBritain 1903 52,576 Switzerland Jan. 6, 1911

